Total Pageviews

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Tripping The Light Fantastic.

 We did the attractions up in Moundsville - Adam did the tour in November, Jackson did it yesterday. We hit the Krishna temple first, the tour started at 12:30 but the peevish Krishna came out and told us  to either cover or remove our shoes then informed us after we took our shoes off that  the tour didn't start for FOUR minutes, he would be back at the appropriate time  and left. The two other people didn't wear socks and it was so hot I envied them their bare feet against that cool marble floor! The tour is short but fun peevishness aside,then we headed to the main compound and since it was warm, the Krishna's were there worshipping - the chanting was amazing. We got buttonholed by one in an electric wheelchair - he was in a yammering mode. He also had the largest tufts of ear hair I've ever seen in my entire life and I could not stop looking.  I didn't hear half of what he said about the Glory of Our Lord Krishna or the medicinal benefits of the diet, my eyes just kept straying back to his ears. Eventually i was able to tear myself  away, we went and bothered some peacocks - I didn't know that when they spread their tails they also shake them in an attempt to scare you. It doesn't - until the other peacocks hear and come to see what's shaking. Since birds are high on the list of Things That Scare Me (I'm more scared of clowns but less afraid of puppets than I am of birds. I'm not afraid of Amish people but just don't like them) I thought it would be a good time to leave. Fast. We headed out to the prison then, when Adam was here it wasn't open but it was yesterday. It's a good tour, we did it years ago when Jackson was a teenager. The former guards are the guides, 2 hours or so of seeing the every inch of the prison with extensive history - there were two boys about 10 that were A-Gog. The tour guide was very nice and if there was something questionable he let the parents know and directed them to other more age appropriate areas. It was never air conditioned and given how hot it was at ground level I cannot imagine being incarcerated on the top level. I think the last time I was there they spent more time out in the prison yard but it was so searingly hot by them the guide kept the tour close to the shaded areas and didn't spend a lot of time outside. We also learned that Charles Manson's mother was incarcerated there for armed robbery and he was with her in the prison until he was almost 4. On Mondays you can come for the Haunted Tour and they'll bring you down in the basement and also The Hole - an underground, windowless cell with a dirt floor. You could be sentenced up to 30 days and the guard said the prisoners that served those sentences didn't usually come out too sane.  I bought Jackson a Tee-shirt and off we went across the street to visit Indian Burial mound. It was really hot by then and it did not make for a comfortable climb. But we did it since we were there and then back down. We stopped at the bookstore on the way home and then dinner at Apple Bee's. Jackson drove us home, he did pretty good for someone who has not driven in a couple of years. He's relieved to have his driving license current, I know that was weighing on him since he would like to get a car soon. He's also getting his social security card too and he'll be all set. We're heading out to Norfolk on Saturday morning  to start that end of the vacation. And on the 30th he flies back to San Diego. I've really been enjoying him here, I'll miss him when he leaves.


2 comments:

Donna. W said...

Oh, I loved the prison tour we took in Missouri. It sounds similar to yours. We may even go again. Does that make us crazy?

Julia said...

The prison tour here is amazing - if you're a history buff it's right up your alley. The guides on the tour know the entire history and I have to say not one person wasn't paying attention all through the tour.